[Effects of health reform law on the handicapped from the viewpoint of social assistance].

In the legislator's intention, the recent health reform legislation is aimed at strengthening solidarity and self-responsibility, so that our statutory insurance-based health care system may continue to be efficient and financially viable. The essential steering mechanism introduced is a system of fixed amount benefits in the various benefit areas, among them medicaments, technical aids such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, glasses, and various orthopaedic aids. Only part of the guidelines, tables and regulations needed for implementation have however been made available so far. It is therefore impossible as yet to undertake appropriate, objective evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the reform for patients and health funds. It may however already be said that, in respect of dentures, transport, as well as burial costs, health fund insurants have to raise considerable extra means, partly touching on the financial substance of many insurants. A hardship/overcharge clause is intended to keep the additional burdens socially compatible. This device however is absolutely insufficient in the case of chronically ill and very severely disabled people, paying no regard to the considerable additional expenses these populations have to incur for participating in general community life. The inclusion of benefits for domiciliary nursing and care is viewed as only a first step. The financial resources for protection against the risk of nursing and care dependency, however, should not come from the statutory health insurance scheme, but be based on a common pool of funds to be financed by the various social protection branches.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)